Longtime martayaki readers may recall last spring’s preparations for our very first Japanese Culture Day at the kids’ school. Last year I shopped at a used kimono shop, got kimono-dressing lessons from the experts/students at the Japanese school next door, and successfully dressed Tessa the morning of Japanese Culture Day.

The obi silk belt turned out to be the hardest part. Despite my best efforts to tie it correctly, it didn’t really hold up to all-day wearing by a fourth grader. So this year we returned to the used kimono shop to buy a pre-tied obi, which is basically the equivalent of a pre-tied bow tie versus the real thing. I should probably feel bad about using a pre-tied obi, but I don’t. Like, At. All.

So, Take Two!

Here are the kids the morning of our second Japanese Culture Day, which was last Friday. Tessa wears her kimono with poise and dignity. Meanwhile Cy dresses as Mt. Fuji, donning the novelty hat that I bought at the hardware store last fall Just In Case, because you never know when a Mt. Fuji hat will come in handy. The Smart Ass runs deep in him.

The kids fit right in with their classmates. Note that Cy (back row, center-right) never bothers to face the camera during the class photo, instead choosing to attack the onigiri-clad classmate (Nicholas) to his left. So proud!